Narrative of the Overland Expedition of the Messrs. Jardine from Rockhampton to Cape York, Northern Queensland eBook

Francis Lascelles Jardine

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 161 pages of information about Narrative of the Overland Expedition of the Messrs. Jardine from Rockhampton to Cape York, Northern Queensland.

from Rockingham Bay to Cape York, in which his own
and half his party’s lives were sacrificed,
was not very encouraging for the intended expedition,
Mr. Jardine never for a moment doubted of its success,
and looked forward to meeting his sons at Somerset
as a matter of course. In the prime of youth
and health (their ages were but 22 and 20), strong,
active, and hardy, inured to the life and habits of
the bush, with an instinct of locality, which has
been alluded to as having “la Boussole dans
la tete,” they were eminently fitted for the
task, and eagerly undertook it when proposed.
How well they carried it out, although, unfortunately,
with so little benefit to themselves, is here recorded.
Had poor Wills been associated with such companions
there would have been a different tale to tell to that
which lends so melancholy an interest to his name,
and we should now have him amongst us to honor, instead
of a monument to his memory, a monument, which in
honoring the dead, rebukes the living.

The loss of three-fourths of their horses, and a fifth
of their cattle, together with a large equipment,
has made the enterprise of the Messrs. Jardine, speaking
financially, little short of a failure, but at their
age the mind is resilient, and not easily damped by
misfortune. On their return to Brisbane the Government,
with kind consideration, proposed to place such a
sum on the Estimates of Parliament as would indemnify
them, and at the same time mark its sense of the high
merit and importance of their journey, but this, through
their father, they respectfully declined, Frank Jardine
giving as his reason, that as the expedition was a
private enterprise and not a public undertaking, he
did not consider himself entitled to any indemnity
from the public. Opinions may be divided on such
a conclusion, but in it we cannot but recognise a
delicacy and nobility of sentiment as rare, unfortunately,
as it is admirable. Yet, if they have thus voluntarily
cut themselves off from the substantial rewards which
have hitherto recompensed other explorers, they are
still entitled to the high praise and commendation
of all who admire spirit and determination of purpose,
and cannot be insensible to their applause.
And it is in recognition that such is their due, that
the writer has undertaken to bring this narrative before
the public.